NEW YORK (WCBS 880) -- Two New York City correction officers sustained broken bones after an assault at the hands of a Bloods gang member Wednesday, their union said in a new statement.
The Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association said the “brutal assault” occurred at the Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center in the Bronx as officers tried to remove an inmate from an area.
Department of Correction officials said they were handcuffing an inmate when that person began throwing punches and kicks at the two officers.
According to DOC officials, other inmates then threw chairs at officers, while the union said a table was also thrown.
Things calmed once a captain utilized pepper spray, according to the union release.
The officers were taken to a hospital, where one was shown to have a broken ankle, which will require surgery, the union said. The other sustained a broken finger.
COBA President Benny Boscio, Jr. took aim at Department of Correction Commissioner Vincent Schiraldi, saying he should hire more officers to maintain order in city jails.
“This latest vicious assault on our correction officers is directly attributed to Schiraldi’s failure to deliver the 600 correction officers who he pledged to hire by the end of this month,” said Boscio Jr. "After not hiring correction officers for nearly three years, the department hired a mere 64 officers several weeks ago, and a mere 39 just officers just this week.
A Department of Correction spokesperson told WINS, "The safety of our staff is paramount and assaults against them are completely unacceptable. We are investigating this incident and if the allegations are proven, punishment will be severe."